A. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, in general, to medical diagnostics and, in particular, to a shield for use with an endoscope to protect the user from body fluid splashback.
B. Background Art
In the examination of patients by physicians using endoscopes or similar equipment, blood or other body fluids are withdrawn from patients using, for example, a suction technique. Periodically, this examination process results in a splashback of blood or body fluid which may come into contact with the skin of the scope user. If the patient under examination suffers from a contagious disease, the scope user is in danger of contracting the disease. This danger is particularly great if the user has a skin break or if the splashback of blood or body fluid comes in contact with a mucous membrane of the user.
Even though these examinations are not surgical procedures, to guard against splashback contamination which may cause the spread of a contagious disease, scope users sometimes wear gloves, a surgical cap and a mask as well as goggles to cover their eyes. This regimen has a number of drawbacks. Users who wear glasses encounter difficulty in wearing goggles over the glasses. Additionally, the wearing of goggles interferes with the users' accurate use of the scope eyepiece Under some conditions, the goggles become clouded with condensation. Also, portions of the upper cheek, neck and ears of the scope user still remain exposed to potential splashbacks in spite of using the uncomfortable and restrictive cap, mask and goggles.
A rigid shield and instrument holder to protect a scope user during use of a fiber optic scope is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,194 issued to Banez. The shield of Banez is intended to block and catch in a trowel fluids which splash from a patient during use of the fiber optic scope. However, this shield is rigidly secured to the scope and its use is very restrictive. Furthermore, the shield of Banez does not entirely protect the user's face.
Another medical shield is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 1,679,950 issued to Stern. The shield of Stern is adapted to fit onto an apparatus for surgical resection, and is not adapted to protect the face, neck, and ears of a user. Likewise, a shield for a resectoscope sheath disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,144,020 issued to Zingale, a latex rubber protector designed for an endoscope taught in U S. Pat. No. 4,657,020 issued to Lifton and a pad for a surgical instrument taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,633,869 issued to Schmieding are all ineffective in protecting adequately the face, neck and ears of a user of an endoscope from contact with splashed fluids during endoscopic examination.